Water-bicycle.



No. 642,683. Pafentednb. 6, |900;

J. A. EmcKsoN.

WATER BICYCLE.

(Application led May 12, 1899.)

(Nn Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOIIN A. ERICKSON, OF RUSH POINT, MINNESOTA.

WATER-BICYCLE.

i SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 642,683, dated February 6, 1900.

Application filed May 12, 1899. Serial No. 716,477. (No model.)

T0 all whom t may conoern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. ERICKSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rush Point, in the county of Ohisago and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Water-Bicycles; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in devices for traveling on the water and may be termed a water-bicycle.

The object of my invention is to provide means by which a person may travel on the water while occupying the same position and using his hands and feetin the same manner as when riding a bicycle. This object I attain by the novel construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my complete water-bicycle. Fig. 2 is a top or plan view of Fig. 1 with the braces 12 and hood 13 omitted and the rear portion of the fender 42 cut away. Fig. 3 is asectional front elevation on the line ct CL in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is asectional front elevation on the line h b in Fig. 1, showing such parts as are to be explained by said view; and Fig. 5 is a top view of a modification in the framework.

Referring to the various parts in the drawings by reference-numerals, 5 are two elongated iioats or hollow bodies pointed at the ends and secured in parallel position by the front frame 6, having the braces 7 and 8, and the rear frame 9, having the braces 10 and 11. Said front and rear frames are secured together also by the braces 12 and the hood 13.

said shaft 17 is further secured between the arms 16 a chain-wheel 19, which is driven by the chain 20, and the chain-wheel 2l, shielded by the hood 13 and secured on the pedal-shaft 22, which is journaled in the outwardly-offset portions 23 of the frame-bar 14, so that the chain-wheel 21 is located in the space 24 between the osets.

Upon the frame 9 is secured the riders seat 25, and in the front frame 6 is journaled the upright steering-shaft or handle-bar 26, provided with the bicycle-handles 27 at its upper end and at its lower end with the arms 28, from which extend, through suitable guides 29 30, two ropes or light chains 31 and 32, which have their rear ends secured to the arms 33 of the rudders 34, hinged one at each rear end of the iioats 5.

It will be easily understood that in operation the rider sits on the seat 25 and operates the pedals 22 the same as on a bicycle, and by turning, with his hands resting on the handles 27, the shaft 26 the chains 31 32 operate the rudders 34 simultaneously to either side, so as to steer the craft in the water, the surface of which is indicated by the line 35.

The steering-chains31 32 may work through plain guides, like 29, or guides containing sheaves, as 36 37, in the guide 29X in Fig. 3.

It is evident that the device may be supplied with seats and pedals for several persons, the sameas in tandem bicycles, and when the machine is thus made or if it otherwise is desired to facilitate the shipping thereby the floats are each made in two section sseparable at the line 38 and provided with permanent bottoms or closing-walls 39, so that the sections need only be secured together by the plates 40 and screws 41. Said plates 40 may be made integral with one or both of the frames 6 and 9.

42 is a shield or fender secured to the frame 9 and steadied by the braces 43 to protect the rider from the water thrown by the paddlewheel. p

In Fig. 5 the bar 14 is swinging on the hubs 50, allowing Vertical adjustment of the paddle-wheel by the hand-lever 51, latch 52, and notched sector 53.

The floats may be made of tin, sheet-iron, or other suitable materials.

' Having thus described my invention, what IOO I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a device of the class described, the combination with the parallel elongated floats 5 and steering means for saine, of the frames 6 and 9 securing the floats together and carrying the steering-handles and shaft and the seat 25; the braces 12 and hood 13 suspended from the frames 6 and 9; the longitudinal frame-bar 14, secured to the frames 6 and 9; and having the slot 24 and the forked rear end 16, extendingv rearwardly beyond the frame 9, the shaft 17 journaled in the said fork 16, and carrying inside the fork a chainwheel secured to it, and at both ends paddlethe two chain-Wheels, substantially as and for the purpose forth.

In testimony whereof I afx my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN A. ERICKSON.

Witnesses:1

A. M. CARLSEN, J. P. ALLEN. 

